Nailing machine



Dec. 25, 1951 E. PQ ANsTETT A 2,580,065

' NAILING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet l Il llllll'il I 5 7 1 y l u@ 50 Y@ a mi f ,f A I A J 56 l 6/2 L60 inve far ufo 50 9 Dec'. 25, 1951 l.; P. ANSTETT 2,580,065

NAILING MACHINE Filed June 21, 195o I 5 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 25, V.19.51

UNITED STATES estelar orties NAILING MACHINE Edgar P.- Anstete Chicago, n1. Application .lune 2l, 1950, Serial No. 169,504

17 Claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 783,606,'nled November 1, 1947, now forfeited. f

This invention relates to machines for driving nails, dowels, or the like, and, more particularly, to such machines as are portable, being carried to the location Where the nailing is to take place, and are operated by an impact imparted thereto either by means of a mallet or the like in the case of nailing by hand, or by electric power means in the case of power driven apparatus.

vIt is one of the objects of the 'present invenn tion to provide a machine of the above men.- tioned character in which nails or dowels of different sizes may be used. It isa further object of the present invention to provide a-nailing machine with a nail feeding means which is Aso arranged that a supply of nails may be easily and quickly inserted into the machine or equally quickly removed therefrom as, for instance, when a dilerent type or size of nail is to be'inserted.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a nailing machine wherein the operator may readily and quickly observe how many nails are left in the machine in order that he may know how soon the supply 'of nails will be exhausted.

Nails used in nailing machines are frequently made of flat sheet metal stock and stacked together and held in stick form by Va coating o glue or the like. Such nails are exceedingly flexible in one direction and therefore must be rmly held against Vbending in that direction as the nail is being driven. It often happens that dif ferent pieces of sheet metal stock ,from which dilierent nails are made vary in thickness tosuch an extent as to interfere-with the action cf driving the nail from the machine.- It is one of the objects of the present invention to pro-- vide a nailing machine which is so constructed that even a large variation in thickness of the nail will 'not interfere with the operation of the machine. Y

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a nail feeding mechanism wherein there is provided a rail for supporting the heads of the nails which assures the proper positioning of the nails in the machine and which rail may be made of material having substantially higher wearing properties than the rest ofthe machine, so that even after prolonged use of the machine the .nail is properhT positioned within the ma ch'ine. f w y l It is a still further vobject of the present in,- vention to provide an improved means for securing the impact head of a 'nailing machine plunger to the nail driving plunger oi the machine. y

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a nailing or stapling machine which can receive and drive headless nails or dowels and wherein the nails or dowels are suspended in the machine with their centers of gravity below the point of support or suspension, so that each nail or dowel tends to hang vertically in the machine whereby the position of each nail or dowel is self-adjusting and the nail or dowel will nottend to fall out of its normally operative position within the machine.

In dealing with nails or dowels that are provided with a head it is preferable to hang the nail or dowel from the head as the nail or dowel moves in the machine. This is accomplished by providing a rail from which the nail is suspended by its head. In dealing with a dowel of the headless type, somewhat diiierent supporting means must be provided. In any event, the dowel is supported in such a manner that when the machine is in its normal position of use for driving nails substantially downwardly, the center of gravity of the dowel is below the point of support of the dowel so that the dowel will have a natural tendency to hang downwardly. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, when the machine is to be used with headless dowels it is provided with a dowel-supporting rail that has a flange or its equivalent which constitutes the supporting rail for the dowel and which projects past the shank of the dowel towards the longitudinal center line thereof and enters a groove in the dowel adjacent the top thereof so that the flange thus supports the dowel at the groove thereof.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of anailing machine embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the machine;

Figure 3 is a sectional -view taken along the line v3--3 of Figure 1;A

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of the front end plate of` Figure 2.;v y

Figure is a perspective View of a guide plate for holding the-stem of the plunger plate against buckling;

Figure 9-A is a sectional view corresponding to Figure 3 and showing a modified construction of the machine;

Figures 10 and 11 are views corresponding to Figure 3 of two other modied constructions;

Figure 12 is a top view of a dowel pin that may be driven by the machine of the present invention;

Figure 13 is a front view of the dowel pin of Figure 12; and

Figures 14 and 15 are similar views of another dowel for use in those machines.

Reference may now be had more particularly to the respective figures of the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout.

The nailing machine is indicated in general by the reference numeral I, and includes a body portion which consists of two similar but not identical body halves 2 and 3 each of which is a casting or molding of suitable material which may be. for instance, steel, although a preferred material is a non-brittle hard thermoplastic compound which has incorporated therein a commingled massof short strands of cotton, rayon or the like, which are promiscuously commingled in the mass of molded material. This forms an excellent impact material which is not subject to cracking or crystallization. The body portions 2 and 3 are aligned and secured together by a series of screws 8 the heads of which extend inthat extends the full length of the machine,

the space being of a width slightly in excess of the width of a nail and of a height slightly in excess of the height of the longest nail to y be taken by the machine.

At the forward end of the machine each body part 2 and 3 has an enlarged head I IJ each of which is integral with the rest of its body portion. A handle part I I extends from the head to the base part of the body and provides means for gripping the machine manually.

Each enlarged head Ill-II! has a vertically extending channel-shaped groove I2 therein, the grooves in the contacting faces of the heads Ill-Ill being opposite one another so that together they form a vertically extendingsquare or rectangular hole for receiving a rectangularshaped driving plunger I4 of steel, which has an enlarged head I5 around which is molded a driving plunger knob I6 preferably of plastic impact material such as was described above. The knob r is adaptedto receive the blow of a hammer or mallet for moving the plunger I4 to drive a nail, 1n a manner to be more fully described as this description proceeds. A steel anchoring pin I7 extends through the head I5 and is anehQl. in,

the molded head I6. The plunger I4 is constantly urged to its uppermost position by a coiled spring I8 which extends into a bore in the plunger and bears against its lower end against the body portions 2 and 3 at the base of the opening that receives the plunger I4. One face of the plunger has a longitudinally extending elongated slot 20 that receives the stem of a screw 2l which is threaded into one of the heads I0. The screw 2I by engagement with the bottom of the slot 20 limits the upper movement of the plunger I4 under the action of the spring I8. The lower movement is limited by engagement of the knob I6 with the top of the heads III-I0.

A nail driver comprising a iiat nail driving blade 24 of steel ts over one face of the plunger I4 and bears at its upper end against the enlargement I5 at the top of the plunger I4 so that upon downward movement of the plunger I4 the blade 24 is also forced downwardly. A short pin 25 which extends through a hole in the blade and is embedded in the plunger I4 serves to raise the blade upon upward movement of the plunger. The plunger I4 with the blade 24 together make a snug sliding fit in the hole I 2-I2 of the head The face of the plunger I4 that is engaged by the blade 24 is cut away from the bottom upwardly, as indicated at 26. The length of this cut is somewhat in excess of the stroke of the plunger. The thickness of the cut is made a few thousandths of an inch in excess of the thickness of a guide plate to be presently described. The purpose of this cut-away part 26 will be apparent as this description proceeds. The lower endV of the blade 24 has a nail driving stem 28 which is of a thickness approximately equal to that of an average nail that is to be used in the machine. The length of the stem 28 is in excess of the stroke of the plunger. At its base the stem 28 is slightly tapered, as indicated at 29, so that the bottom surface of the stem 28 is definitely of a thickness not to exceed the minimum thickness of a nail to be used in the machine.

A guide plate 3U of a thickness equal to the thickness of a nail to be driven by the machine is secured to the bottom front part of the body portions 2-3 as by screws 3l that pass through holes 32-32 in the plate 30. The guide plate 3i? is of a width at its lower part equal to the thickness of the lower part of the body portions 2' and 3 and includes a tongue portion 34 of a reduced width that extends into the plungerreceiving slot I2I2, and enters into the cutaway part 2B between the plunger and the plate 24. The upper part of the plate 3B is supported by the lower part of the plunger I4 and as the plunger descends the front surface of the upper part of the plate 3B continues toI hold the stem 23 against buckling in one direction lengthwise oi the machine, namely, in a rearward direction, while the surfaces 35 of the body portions 2 and 3 hold the blade against buckling in the opposite direction lengthwise of the machine. The lower part of the plate 30 has a slot 36 therein which is of the same shape as the shape of the nail to be driven by the machine. Y

A front facing plate is secured to the lower part of the machine by the screws 3-3I. The front facing plate 40 extends ilush with the bottom of the machine and upwardly from the bottom to the base of the heads IU. The inner face of the plate 40 has a vertically extending channel 4I formed therein at the center thereof,

which channel is of a width equal to the width of the stem 28 plus a few thousandths of an inch for clearance. In the descent of the plunger the stem 28 rides in the channel 4| and is guided and supportedat its lower end against forward and sideward buckling by the walls of the chan-- nel lll.` During the descent of the plunger stem 23 the stem is confined between the surfaces v13E- |42 of the plate t!) between which surfaces it makes a snug sliding iit. The depth of the channel l4I is of exactly the same thickness as the thickness of the stem 28 plus a few thousandths of an inch for clearance, so that one surface of the stem 28 bears against the surface 43 of the channel in the plate Ml and the opposite surface of the stem,28 bears against the plate 30.

The stem 28 isthus confined against flexing or buckling during its descent. As the stem 28 comes opposite the slot 36 the nail next to the one being driven exerts a pressure against the stem 28.

When nails are made by stamping the same from sheets of metal it is found that there is a variation in thickness of the nails made from -different sheets of standard stock that are supposedly of the same thickness. To make certain that even the thickest nail shall be ejected and that the head thereof shall not catch on the edge 135 of the plate 30 the plate 3D is chamfered or cut down to a reduced thickness along the surface 4B thereof so that the surface 4B of the plate 3|) is spaced from the surface 43 of the channel 4| by an amount in excess of the thickness of the thickest nail to be encountered (but less than twice the thickness of the thinnest nail to be encountered). This allows ample leeway for normal variations of the thickness of sheet metal from which the nails are made and also allows for any possibility that the head of an -shaped nail may be very slightly skewed or twisted out of the plane of the shank of the nail. This thereby avoids any possibility that the head of a nail of excessive thickness might catch on the surface 45 of the plate 3|).

It sometimes happens that a nail is appreciably thinner than it should be. When that is the caseV it is necessary to make sure that the stem 28 engages only the last nail and not the last two nails. To assure this the bottom of the stem 23 is slightly tapered, as indicated at 29 (Figs. 6 and 8) so that the thickness of the stern at its very base is equal to or slightly less than the minimum thickness of a nail to be encountered, so that under no circumstances will the bottom of the stem 28 engage both the nail to be driven and a portion of the adjacent nail. When an excessively thin nail is encountered, that is, a nail of a thickness less than the thickness of the stem 28, the bottom edge of the stem 28, being of reduced thickness, engages only the last nail and commences to drive it downwardly. Thereafter, as the stem continues to descend, the tapered surface 29 of the stem engages the next nail and pushes it and the entire stock of nails in the machine backwards by a small amount, that is, a few thousandths of an inch, which is the deviation in thickness of the nails.

rThe space 8 between the two body halves 2-3 is adapted to receive the nails. A stack of nails is indicated by the reference numeral 5l). Each nail is, in this instance, of an L-shape, includ-u ing a shank portion 5| and a head 52. The individual nails are stamped from a flatV sheet of metal and are stacked together one upon the other and adhered by a coating of glue to form.

a stick of nails which lcan be inserted into the machine. The body portion 2 has a longitudinal groove 53 therein and extending the full length thereof.V A steel plate or bar 56 is secured in place by a series of screws 51. The top of the plate constitutes a rail for the heads of the nails. The individual nails of the stick rest with their heads on the rail 55, the heads' extending into the groove 53, and the shank of each nail overlying the outer surface of the rail '56, as may be seen from Figure 3. The nails are slid into place from the back side 59 of the machine and thereafter a nail pusher 60 is inserted in back of the last nail. The nail pusher 60 consists of a piece of sheet metal, channel-shaped in cross section, having upper and lower flanges 6| and '8| of which the upper flange -BI rides in the groove 53 and the lower ange rides in a parallel groove 62 in the body half 3. The web 64 of the pusher plate 5!! bears against the shank of the rearznost nail of the stick of nails 5d. The flange 5| may also bear against the head of that rearmost nail. The pusher plate 6|) is freely slidable between the body halves 2 and 3 and extends rearward of the body portion 3 and has a right angle bend 65 which terminates in a hook 56. The hook is adapted to enter into an opening 5l in a clip E8. A coiled spring 69 is secured to the clip t8 and extends through a sheet metal guard member ID that is secured to the body 3 as by a pair of screws vl'i---TL The opposite end of the spring, indicated at 12, is secured to the guard member Hl so that the guard member also constitutes a spring container.

The spring 69 acting on the clip 68 exerts a continuous force maintaining the nail pusher En in pressure engagement with the last nail of the stick of nails 50. The stick of nails is thus constantly pressed forwardly in the magazine to bring the foremost nail of the stick into engagementgwith the surface i3 of the channel 4| in the front facing plate 40. This surface 43 therefore acts as a front stop for the nails in the magazine. At this time the foremost nail lies in the channel 4| in a position for subsequent ejection from the machine. The particular nail may be of a thickness different from theV depth of the channel 4|. If it is of greater thickness than the depth of the channel 4| a portion of the foremost nail extends rearwardly of the front face of the guide plate 3u into the space between the cut-away surface 46 of the plate 3S and the channel 4|. The head of the foremost nail clears the edge d'5 so that the foremost nail can be driven by downward movement of the stem. The next to the last nail is supported by the edge 45 ofthe plate 30 and may also be supported by the top'surface of the rail 56, so that whether the foremost nail is a thick nail or a thin nailv the next to the foremost nail is in any event supported against ejection. It is thus apparent that in the present machine lthe foremost nail is free for movement in an ejection direction that is downwardly as seen in Figure 2,

and that all the other nails, including the second nail from the front, are positively held against such movement either by the top surface of the rail 56 or by the surface 45 of the guide plate 3|), and that the depth of the cut-away portion @E in the guide plate 3|! allows for varia.- tions in thickness between the thinnest nail and ,the thickest nailth'at can be driven through the machine, lwith the assurance that one and only one-nail shall beV ejected with each stroke of the driving stem 28. As the foremost nail is successively displaced from the machine the pusher D under the action of the spring 69 advances the nails one at a time. When the last nail is in its position to be driven from the machine the flanges of the bent portion 65 of the pusher 60 engage the rear face of the body portion 3 so that the forward end of the pusher 60 cannot be extended into the path of movement of the stem 23.

A supply of nails may be easily and quickly inserted into the machine by merely unhooking the spring clip 68 from the hook 66, withdrawing the pusher 60 from the machine, and then inserting the nails. Thereafter the pusher G is replaced and the clip 69 is also replaced on the hook 66.

t is to be noted that the space 9 between the body portions 2 and 3 extends substantially the full length of the b ase of the nailing machine. As a result the operator can, by turning the machine up side down, visually observe the quantity of nails remaining in the machine.

Reference may new be had more particularly to Figure 9A which is a section, corresponding to Figure 3, of a modified embodiment of the present invention. This modification consists in that the plate-like rail 56 of Figure 3 has been replaced by a channel-shaped metal rail 56'. `This rail extends the full length of the machine, the same as the rail 56. The rail 56 is secured in place by a series of screwsl 51 that extend through the body half 3 that otherwise corresponds to the body half 3 of the machine previously described. In this arrangement the head 52 of a sheet metal nail '5|' is suspended from the lower flange 'I3 of the channel rail 56 the same as is the sash pin or nail in the embodiment previously described. The nail is advanced by the web 64 of the pusher plate, in the same manner as was previously described.

In Figure l() there is shown still aA further modification of the rail wherein the nail-supporting rail, indicated at 15, is channel-shaped, similar to that of the rail 5X6', but differs therefrom in that the lower flange 'I6 of the channel rail projects beyond the surface 11 of the body portion 3 to provide an overhanging portion 1B. This overhanging portion constitutes a rail for headless nails, sash pins or dowels, such as shown in Figures 13 or 15. In this instance the nail or pin, indicated at 8D, is headless and has a slot SI formed therein adjacent one end thereof. The pin y8|) is mounted with the slot 8l embracing the overhanging portion 18 0f the channel 'E6 so that the overhanging portion 18 constitutes a rail from which the dowel is suspended. The sash pin of Figures 12 and 13 has been shown as being round in cross section. Thesash pin may be rectangular in cross section, as illustrated in Figures 14 and 15, being stamped from hat sheet metal stock to have a slot 8| therein corresponding to the slot 8| bf Figure 12. The slotted portion of each sash pin embraces the overhanging rail portion 'I8 of the channel rail for suspending the pin from the rail with the sash pin hanging in the space 9 of the machine. The sash pins are secured together in a stick by glue or other adhesive the same as are the nails '5B previouslydescribed, with the slots 8i' in alignment.

In Figure 11 there is shown a section corresponding to Figure 3 of still another modification of the present invention. This modication consists in that here the supporting rail,

lby the stem.

indicated at 85, is in the form of a metal plate that is secured between the two machine halves by the screws 8 that secure the two machine halves together. The plate like the plate 56 extends substantially the full length of the base of the machine. It has a small flange 81 at its lower end, which flange overhangs the wall 11 of the nailing machine half 3 that corresponds to the body portion 3 of the machine previously described. The overhanging flange 81 of the plate y35 constitutes a rail from which nails or sash pins such as shown in Figures 13 or 15 are suspended, the overhanging portion 81 extending into the slots 8l or 8| as the case maybe.

It is apparent from each of the modifications of the machine herein shown that the nail or dowel is suspended from a longitudinally extending rail provided in the machine and which rail constitutes a mono-rail from which the nail or dowel is suspended. The point of suspension of the nail or dowel is appreciably above the center of gravity thereof. In each instance the nail is supported from above rather than from below so that in each instance there is no tendency for the nail to fall within the nail magazine. There is thus no possibility for a nail to fall into a horizontal position within the machine and be advanced in that position to a place where the horizontally extending nail projects into Athe path of the nail driving stem 28. Such action would, of course, be likely to ruin the machine.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is, however, to be understood-that the invention is not limited to the precise construction `here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What I consider new and-desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A nailing machine comprising a body having a lengthwise extending straight nail-receiving groove, a bar extending lengthwise in the groove and spaced from the top of the groove and constituting a rail for nail heads, a guide plate l across the fcreward end of the groove and having'an opening for the passage of nails therethrough, and a nail driving stem slidable over the guide plate and guided thereby, the guide plate being cut away on the front surface thereof at that edge of the opening thereof which is adjacent the head of a nail that is being driven by the stem.

2. A nailing machine comprising a body having a lengthwise extending straight nail-receiving groove which is open lengthwise along the bottom of the machine so that nails in the machine are visible through the opening, a guide plate across the foreward end of the groove and having an opening for the passage of nails therethrough, and a nail driving stem slidable over the guide plate and guided thereby, the guide plate being cut away on the front surface thereof at that edge of the opening thereof which is adjacent the head of a nail that is being driven 3. A nailing machine comprising a body having a lengthwise extending straight nail-receiving groove, a guide plate across the forward end of the groove and having an opening for the passage of nails therethrough, and a nail driving stern slidable over the guide plate and guided thereby, the guide plate being cut away on the front surface thereof at that edge of the opening thereof which is adjacent the head of a nail that is being driven by the stem. A

4. A nailing machine comprising two Similar face to face body parts secured together and having a lengthwise extending straight nail-receiving groove between them opening lengthwise along the bottom of the machine kso that nails in the machine are visible through the opening, a bar extending lengthwise in the groove and spaced from the top of the groove and constituting a rail for nail heads, a nail pusher in the groove substantially lling the space between the bar and the groove wall opposite thereto, a spring urging the pusher forward, said spring extending lengthwise of the body parts on the outside of the machine, and a guard surrounding the spring.

5. A nailing machine comprising two'similar face to facebody parts secured together and hav-:- lng a lengthwise extending straight nail-receive ing groove between them, a bar extending lengthwise in thev groove and spaced from the top of the groove andk constituting a rail for nail heads, a nail pusher in the groove substantially filling the space between the bar and the groove wall opposite thereto. a spring urging` the pusher forward, said spring extending length-wise of the body parts on the outside of the machine. and a guard surrounding the spring.

6. A nailing machine comprising two similar face tov face body parts' secured together and having a lengthwise extending straight nail-receiving groove between them opening lengthwise along the bottom of the machine so thatnails in the machine are visible through the opening, a bar extending lengthwise in thel groove andl spaced from theA bottom of the groove and constituting a rail from which nails are to be suspended in the groove, a nail pusher in the groove substantially filling the space between the bar and' the` groove wall opposite thereto, and a spring urgingy thel pusher forward'.

7. A nailing machine comprising` a body having a lengthwise extending straight nail-receiving grooveK andy a bar extending lengthwise in the groove and spaced from the bottom of the groove.. said bar having a nail supporting portion pro-'- jecting into` the groove below and adjacent the top'thereof and constituting a mono-raill from which nails are to be suspended in the groove;

8. A nailing machine comprisinga body hav-f ing a lengthwise extending straight nail-receiving groove which is open lengthwise along the'bottom of the machine so that nails in the machine arevisible through thefopening, and a bar extending lengthwise in the groove andl spaced tromthel bottom. of the groove, said bar having a nail sup-- porting portion projecting into the groove' below and adjacent the top thereof and constitutingY a mono-rail from which nails are' to bel suspended in the groove.

9. A nailing machine having a nail-receiving magazine having opposite vertical walls for conlining afnail', a, nail supporting. rail having an edge extending lengthwise Vwithin the magazine ,and overhanging one of the vertical wal-ls towardsy the other, the extending edge'of said rail being; spaced above the center of the magazine and constituting; a mono-rail from which the nails are suspended in the magazine.

10. A nailing, machine comprising. a body .having a lengthwise extending. straight nail-receiving groove, a guide'plate: across theforwardend of the groove andv having anopening forsthe' passage of-.nails therethrough, and a nail driving. stem' slidable over the guide plate and guided' thereby theguide plateV having.A means for holding the next eti from the machine. said last means comprising a nail support recessed from the iront surface of the guide plate only part way through the thickness of the guide plate thereby allowing Space for the foremost nail driven by the nail driving stem to extend rearwardly of the front surface of the guide plate.

11. A nailing machine having means forming a nail magazine including means for slidably supporting nails in the magazine, means forming a stop i'or the foremost nail in the machine, means urging the nails forwardly in the magazine towards the stop, the machine having a nail discharge opening through which the foremost nail in the machine is driven by a sliding movement along the stop,l a nail driver having a nail engaging end, said driver being slidable along the stop from an initial position above the foremost nail to a position engaging the foremost nail and driving it through the discharge opening, the nail discharge opening being of a size in the direction of movement of the nails in the magazine greater than the thickness of the nail engaging end of the driver to permit discharge of a nail of a. greater thickness 'than the thickness of the nail engaging end of the driver, the means for supporting the nails including a foremost portion which supports the second nail from the stop and which` is spaced from the stop by an amount greater than the thickness oi the nail driver so that when the nail driver is in its driving position there is a,- Ifractional part of the thickness of the next to be driven nail between the nail support and the nail driver.

12. A nailing machine having means form-ing a nail magazine including means for slidably sup-l porting nails in the magazine, means ioriniiig a stop for the ioreinost nail in the machine, means urging the nails forwardly in the magazine towards the stop, the machine having a nail discharge opening through which the ioremost nail in the machine is driven by a sliding movement along the stop, ainail driver having a` nail engaging end, said driver being slidable along the stop from an initial position above the foremost nail tor a position engaging the foremost n ail and driving it through the discharge opening, the nail discharge opening beingl of a size in the direction of movement of the nails in the magazine greater than the thickness of the nail engaging end of the driver to permit discharge of a nail of a greater thickness than the thickness of the nail engaging end of the driver, thev means for supporting the nails including a foremost portion which supports the second nail from the stop and. whichA is spaced from thestop by an amount greater than` the thickness of the nail driver so that when the nail driver is in its driving position there is a fractional part of thev thickness of the next to be driven nail between the nail support and the nailv driver, and a guide plate one side of which guides the sid-e of the driver opposite the side thereof that'slidesu on the stop, theY said foremost portion of the nail support being a partof the guide plate and being offset rearwardly from said one sideA of the guide plate.

13. A nailing, machine having means forming anail magazine including means for slidably supporting Anails in themagazine, means forming a stop furthe foremost nail inthe machineineans urging `the-'nails forward in the-,magazine towards thel stop,l the machine having a nail discharge openingy through which `the foremost nail in the machine is driven-'by a sliding movement along to the foremost nail against dischargemovement 7f51` the stop, a"- na-il driver having anail engaging i l end, said driver having a forward face guidedby and slidable along the stop from an initial position above the foremost nail to a position engaging the foremost nail and driving it through the discharge opening, means including said stop for supporting said driver against buckling in the forward direction, rear guide means having a front guide face for supporting the rear face of said driver against buckling in a rearward direction, said driver being slidable between said two last named means, the nail discharg-e opening being of a size in the direction of movement of the nails in the magazine greater than the thicknessrof the nail engaging end of the driver to permit discharge of a nail of a greater thickness than the thickness of the nail engaging end of the driver, the means for supporting the nails including a vforemost portion which supports the second nail from the stop and which is spaced from the stop by an amount greater than the thickness of the nail driver and which terminates rearwardly of the front guide face so that when the nail driver is in its driving position there is a fractional part of the thickness of the next to be driven nail between the nail driver and the front guide face of the rear guide means of the nail driver.

14. A nailing machine comprising a body having a flat bottom surface adapted to t against a member to be nailed, there being an elongated f straight magazine chamber adapted to receive therein a supply of nails, a nail supporting rail in and substantially coextensive with said chamber and from which the nails are adapted to be suspended for sliding movement alongthe chamber and rail forwardly to a region of discharge, a vertical guide plate extending across the magazine chamber at the forward endthereof, and having an opening therein in register with said chamber, said-opening being of a contour generally conforming to the contour of a nail in the chamber, a second plate forwardly of said guide plate, said second plate being formed with a vertically extending guideway for directing nails downwardly, a nail-driving blade slidable in said channel, a portion of -the material at the front of said guide plate in the vicinity of said opening being relieved to provide a nail-supporting ledge of a thickness less than the thickness of the guide plate, for supporting the second foremost nail while leaving the foremost nail clear of the ledge, with the relieved portion extending downwardly below the ledge to the extreme bottom of the guide plate to provide a clearance for downward movement of relatively thick nails.

15. A nailing machine comprising two face to face body parts having therebetween an elongated magazine chamber adapted to contain a supply of nails, the extreme rear end of the said chamber being open for filling pur-poses, and said magazine opening at its forward end at a discharge region, said magazine having therein means forming a nail-supporting surface extending lengthwise in said magazine and constituting a mono-rail from which the nails are adapted to be suspended in the magazine chamber for sliding movement therealong in a forward direction, spring means for impelling the nails in said magazine chamber forwardly toward said discharge region, a guide plate extending across said magazine chamber at the forward end thereof at said discharge region and positioned against the front surface of said body portion, said guide plate having a nail passageway therethrough in register with said magazine, means including a sec- Iond plate fastening the two'body parts together at the forward regions thereof and overlying said guide plate, said second plate being formed with a vertically extending guide channel in register with said nail passageway, said channel being open at its bottom for the discharge of e, nail therethrough in a direction lengthwise of the channel, a nail driving blade slidable along the guide plate and guided in said channel and movable from an initial position where its lower driving end is above the nail-supporting surface to a final position adjacent to the lower end of the channel, the guide plate having means for holding the next to the foremost nail against discharge movement in a direction lengthwise ofthe channel, said last means being rearwardly of that surface of the guide plate along which the nail driving blade slides to allow space for the foremost driven nail to extend rearwardly of the front surface of the guide plate, and said last means constituting a portion of the guide plate which is set back rearwardly from the front surface thereof.

16. A nailing machine comprising Ia body having a lengthwise extending straight nail-receiving groove provided with opposed vertically disposed side walls, a bar extending lengthwise in the groove and spaced from the bottom of the groove, said bar having a nail-supporting portion below and adjacent to the top of the groove and constituting a mono-rail from which nails are to be suspended in the groove for longitudinal sliding movement therealong in a forward direction toward an ejecting station with a minor portion of each nail extending above and overlying the nailsupporting portion and with a major portion of each nail depending from said nail-supporting portion, one of the side walls of said nail-receiving groove, below said nail-supporting portion, providing a nail guideway for maintaining the nails in a substantially vertical position during sliding movement of the nails in the groove,means for impelling the nails forwardly in said groove, said means including a nail pusher slidably disposed within said groove, said pusher having its forward end substantially coextensive with the trailing nail at the part'thereof below said nailsupporting portion, and a pusher advancing spring having one end acting on lthe pusher and the reaction of the opposite end resisted by the body portion, the portion of the spring adjacent to the body reacting end thereof extending along the outside of the body, and means forming a releasable hook connection in the line of the transmission of action of the spring between the body and the pusher.

17. A nailing machine comprising twosimilar body parts arranged in face-to-face relationship and providing in combination a relatively thin, elongated body portion having a flat plane bottom surface, the inner surface of each of said body parts being relieved :along a region extending along the bottom hereof and the two relieved surfaces providing therebetween an elongated straight nail-receiving magazine adapted to receive therein a supply of nails, the extreme rear end of said magazine being open for filling purposes, a nail-supporting rail substantially co-extensive with said magazine, means securing the rail to one side surface of said magazine, a laterally extending nail-supporting surface on said rail extending in said magazine below and adjacent to the upper regions of said magazine and constituting a mono-rail from which the nails are adapted to be suspended in the magazine with i3 a major portion of each nail depending from said flange, the opposite Walls of said magazine beloW said nail supporting surface bearing against the depending portion of each nail and conning the same therebetween and providing a guidevvay for maintaining the nails in a substantially vertical position during bodily movement of the nails along the magazine and rail, a nail pusher in said magazine and slidable therein, said pusher having a forward edge for engaging the last nail in the magazine for advancing thenails along the magazine, the vertical portion of said pusher being conned between said rail and the opposed Wall of the magazine, and a pusher advancing coiled spring having one end thereof bearing against said pusher and having its other end extending along the outside of the body adjacent the opposite end of the spring, and means holding said opposite end of the spring to said body 14 thereby forming a path of force transmission from the body through the spring to the pusher, and a releasable hook connection in said path for separating said path to permit retraction of the pusher from the magazine.

EDGAR P. ANSTETT.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 969,934 Ballard Sept. 13, 1910 1,512,134 Racett Oct. 21, 1924 2,418,118 Hamilton Apr. 1, 1947 2,423,821 Anstett July 15, 1947 2,430,321 Anstett Nov. 4, 1947 

